The Master s Program of the Graduate School

Characteristic Curriculum

Network-type Education

 Postgraduate students receive research instructions from their main subjects, the lectures for which are conducted by multiple professors (shared lectures), and special research in their major fields. They also take more than 2 main subjects in other fields, and the subjects of other research departments as minor or related subjects. Thus, they can develop the ability to find and solve problems from comprehensive aspects by obtaining findings from various special fields.
 Students can also develop practical research ability by experiencing first-line research in projects conducted by the Kitasato Institute for Life Sciences.

Lectures on Basic Technologies

 All admitted students are divided into 4 or 5 groups to attend a 7-day special seminar on microorganisms, molecular organisms, biofunctional molecules, cellular organisms, experimental animals, active substances, and ways to use computers.
 In addition, explanatory meetings regarding computer networks and using the library, as well as seminars on safety measures (e.g., the handling of chemical substances and microorganisms) are provided for all admitted students majoring in any of the 2 courses (the Infection Control and Immunology Course, and Drug Discovery Science Course).

Special Lectures on Infection Control Sciences

 Professors for all the main subjects provide lectures regarding the latest findings with the themes “Development and Search of Drugs Such as Anti-Infective Agents, and Their Clinical Use” and “History of Infectious Diseases and Future Challenges” in an omnibus format. These lectures are mandatory regardless of the majoring course.

Special Lectures ( special speeches, symposiums, and seminars )

 The Kitasato Institute for Life Sciences, Graduate School of Infection Control Sciences, or Kitasato University actively hold special lectures (e.g., symposiums, seminars, and various speeches) presented by first-line researchers within and outside Japan. Through these lectures (including debates), participants obtain the latest scientific information and learn international ideas and values.

Midway Presentations

 Midway presentations regarding special research are provided in mid-June of the 2nd year.

Questionnaires on Lectures

 Since 2003, we have conducted questionnaires aimed at improving classes, which are provided by full-time and part-time teachers of the graduate school.
 Through these questionnaires, postgraduate students express their opinions, give feedback, and describe issues, which will hopefully be improved, about whether lectures are easy to understand, as well as the details of presentations and distributed materials.
 The results of the questionnaire affect the evaluation of limited-term teachers, and aid in improving teachers’ abilities and lectures.

Credit Approval and Requirements for Course Completion

Subject Registration and Credit Approval

  • Subject registration
    (1) Subjects are selected with the aid of mentors, and their registration is completed after their mentors’ approval.
    (2) Students should obtain at least 30 credits from the following subjects: main subjects, Shared Lecture I, Special Research I, special lecture on infection control sciences, special seminar (lecture on basic technologies), minor subjects, and related subjects.
    For details, please see the “Curriculum Guidelines of the Graduate School of Infection Control Sciences”.
    (3) If there is a special reason and approval is obtained from their mentors, it is possible for students to take subjects from any faculty of Kitasato University.

     However, credits for the subjects from these faculties are not added to those required for course completion, but are counted as course credits.
     Credit approval: those who have passed the examination of the subject are granted certain credits in accordance with the graduate school rules.

  • Examinations and Grades
     Examinations are performed within the specified periods. However, class participation and performance can be used as a substitute for examination grades.

     Grades are determined on a four level scale according to the methods described in the evaluation criteria of the subject syllabus: fail (lower than 59 points), passing (60-69), good (70-79), and excellent (80-100).

Requirements for Course Completion

 To complete their course, students are required to attend the first period of the doctoral program (master’s degree) for 2 years or longer (those who re-enter or transfer from another school are required to attend for a mandatory duration), obtain 30 credits or more, and, with the aid of necessary research instructions, pass the review of the master’s thesis and final examination performed by the graduate school.
 However, for those who achieved an outstanding performance, the required period of attending the school is 1 year or longer.

  • Thesis Reviewing
     A thesis review (master’s degree) and other degree-related issues are stipulated by the degree regulations of Kitasato University.

Standard Schedule

 The following shows the standard 2-year schedule of the first period of the doctoral program (master’s degree).

    Main events
First year April


April -
June


March
Health check-up, orientation, lecture on basic technologies (only for those interested), special lecture on infection control.

 

The initiation of lectures and shared lectures (provided intensively in the 1st semester).
Determination of the special research theme (thesis theme) and the initiation of special research

 

Midway report (The themes of special research are reported in shared lectures)
Second year April
June

February
March
The initiation of lectures and shared lectures
Midway report (The themes of special research [master’s thesis] are reported).
Presentation of master’s thesis and the decision conference.
Granting of the certificate (commencement ceremony).

Master's thesis presentation 2012

Students on the audience seats
Professor speaking
Three presenters
Audience
Those who watching presentation
A presenter on the stage

Granting of diplomas

Graduate students

 In the first period of the doctoral program (master’s degree), the master's degree in infection control sciences and that in life sciences had been granted to a total of 181 students until the 2011 school year.

year Infection Control and Immunology course Drug Discovery Sciences course Total
2003 8 9 17
2004 4 14 18
2005 8 15 23
2006 9 14 23
2007 10 13 23
2008 7 15 22
2009 4 15 19
2010 5 15 20
2011 4 12 16
Total 59 122 181

After graduation

future course major place of employment(a graduate school)
Graduate school
Study abroad
Osaka university grad school, Kitasato university grad school, Tsukuba university grad school, Tokyo university grad school, Tokyo medical and dental university grad school, Nagasaki university grad school, etc.
Pharmaceutical and
Chemical company

Astellas pharmaceutical inc, Ajinomoto co inc, Eiken chemical co ltd, Otsuka pharmaceutical co ltd, Meiji co ltd, Tsumura corporation, Shino-test corporation, Minophagen pharmaceutical co ltd, Kyorin pharmaceutical co ltd,  Santen pharmaceutical co ltd, Taiho pharmaceutical co ltd, Takeda pharmaceutical co ltd, Mitsubish tanabe pharmaceutical co ltd, Toray industries inc, Tokyo chemical industry co ltd, Lion corporation, Cmic co ltd,   Kitasato diichi sankyo vaccine co ltd, Japan tabacco inc, Terumo corporation,  Kyowa hakko kirin co ltd, Soda aromatic co ltd, Denk seiken co ltd, etc. 

Public worker
Hospital etc
Kameda medical center, Kyushu university hospital, The Jikei medical universty Kashiwa hosptal, University of Tsukuba hospital, Japanese red cross society, Pharmaceuticals and medical devices agency, President of Riken, Japan anti-tuberculosis association, Ministry of hralth・Labour and welfave guarantine station, Gunma prefecture・Kawasaki city・Matsumoto city worker, etc.

※ random order